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Coins, Currency, and Medals

The Museum possesses one of the largest numismatic collections in the world. The collections include over 1 million objects, comprising coins, medals, decorations, and pieces of paper money. Among the many great rarities here are some of the world’s oldest coins, created 2,700 years ago. But the collection also includes the latest innovations in electronic monetary exchange, as well as beads, wampum, and other commodities once used as money. A special strength lies in artifacts that illustrate the development of money and medals in the United States. The American section includes many rare and significant coins, such as two of three known examples of the world's most valuable coin, the 1933 double eagle $20 gold piece.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Capped head of Liberty facing left, stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, motto above, denomination below. Only two proof half eagles are known with a perfect 1828 date. This is one. Add the known number of surviving strikes for regular circulation and there is still a total of only eight coins!

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Capped head of Liberty facing left, stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, motto above, denomination below. This 1829 proof quarter eagle introduces us to a modified coining technique and to a slightly modified design. The coin (and its multiple, the half eagle) would henceforth be struck using a one-piece, "close" collar. Also, a third die whose vertical striations produced the familiar "reeded" edge we still see on coins today.

Striking the quarter and half eagles in a collar resulted in better metal flow and sharper detail. But it also required modest changes in the obverse and reverse designs. The work was carried out by William Kneass. As many as a dozen 1829 proof quarter eagles including this one may exist. Most have been damaged by handling.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Capped head of Liberty facing left, stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, motto above, denomination below. No more than five proof quarter eagles, including this one, have survived from the 1833 coinage.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, hair bound with a fillet, stars surrounding, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. William Kneass was responsible for a new and altogether charming version of the Liberty head, employed on half and quarter eagles during the second half of the 1830s. For the first time since the 1790s, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM was absent from the half eagle and its smaller relative. This was to distinguish the new coins from earlier ones. The older coins were now worth more than their stated value and were being exported and melted. Including this coin, eight proofs of the new 1834 half eagle are recorded. Collectors call this design the "Classic Head".

Four proof specimens including this coin are known to exist. A fifth proof is rumored to exist. Some 1834 proof coins were created for presentation to foreign dignitaries. The most famous example of a presentation coin for diplomatic purposes was the so-called "King of Coins" among the 1804 Silver Dollars. Silver dollars dated 1804 were simply not issued for circulation. Silver dollars with that date were produced during the 1830's and 1850's for various purposes.

If nothing else, the minting of special coins for presentation abroad suggests that, after years of isolation, the United States was now beginning to take its place in the family of nations. U.S. Coins struck with special care as well as Peace Medals were excellent tokens of friendship.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Capped bust of Liberty facing left, stars at either side, date below. Reverse: Eagle, motto above, denomination (50 C.) below. John Reich was responsible for the basic designs, which remained in use between 1807 and 1836. Coins with these designs are among the most common of early American coins, and they formed the backbone of our monetary supply for many years.

This coin is anything but common, however. It is a proof "restrike," a coin created from original dies but struck at a later date. This half dollar, and similar proofs dated 1833 and 1835, appear to have been minted towards the end of 1836. They may have been produced for presentation or even for sale. Approximately five proof half dollars dated 1834 are known.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, hair bound with a fillet, stars surrounding, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. Designer William Kneass used his "Classic Head" idea for quarter eagles as well as halves. Coins with this general depiction of the goddess were struck from 1834 through 1839. Perhaps five proof quarter eagles exist from 1835. This is one of the nicest.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, hair bound with a fillet, stars surrounding, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. This coin is one of two proof half eagles dated 1836. They may have been struck to commemorate the admission of Arkansas as the twenty-fifth state. Eminent numismatic researcher Walter Breen asserted that belief in his encyclopedia of U.S. coins.

United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Head of Liberty facing left, hair bound with a fillet, stars surrounding, date below. Reverse: Eagle, denomination. Four proof coins including this coin are known for this date of 1836 and this denomination of quarter eagle.

Until the later discoveries of gold west of the Mississippi River, the U.S. had little gold for making coins. A gold strike in Rutherford, North Carolina provided some new gold. Soon, the U.S. Mint established branch mints in Dahlonega, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina to mint gold coins close to the discoveries in those areas. In addition, a branch mint in New Orleans was established convert foreign coins that arrived at this very busy port into U.S. coins. Other sources for gold included French coins that recently arrived as an indemnity payment as well as melting down old American coins and re-issuing the precious metal as new U.S. coins.